Air-brake apparatus



(No Model.)

J. B. STEWART.

AIR BRAKE APPARATUS. N0. 517,250. Patented Mar. 27, 1894.

Will! WIIMIM gmmmmmui WITNESSES INVENTOR WKQM W- 12467 w UNITED STATESPATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH B. STEWART, OF HAVERSTRAW, NEW YORK.

AIR-BRAKE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 517,250, dated March27,1894.

Application filed April 10, 1890- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH B. STEWART, a citizen of the United States,residing at Haverstraw, Rockland county, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvementsin Air-Brake Apparatus, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to fluid brake apparatus for railway trains, inwhich a signal apparatus is combined with the brake apparatus, by meansof which the engineer or other trainman may be signaled throughout thetrain, and it is an improvement upon my invention embodied in Patent No.420,121, dated January 28, 1890.

The object of my invention is to simplify the construction andarrangement of parts and to dispense with one of the lines of pipe shownin the said patent, so that the brake and signal operations may becarried out and applied by the use of a single line of pipes through thetrain.

To these ends my invention consists in the peculiar construction andarrangement of some of the parts and the combination thereof, whereby Iam enabled to accomplish the results desired.

In the accompanying drawingI have illustrated diagrammatically so muchof an air brake system as is necessary to a clear understanding of myinvention.

In said draWingA represents the main reservoir of the ordinary automaticbrake apparatus, in which the compressed fluid is stored by a pump orotherwise, as is common. From this reservoir the main brake conduit Bleads through the length of the train, it being connected with theengine and cars by flexible couplings 0. Upon each car is mounted anauxiliary reservoir E and a brake cylinder F, as is usual. A signalapparatus consisting of an automatic signal valve N is shown connectedwith the main reservoir by a pipe L, provided with a reducer M,preferably provided with a storage reservoir P, having an independentconnection with the pipe L, through the branch '5. The signal deviceconsists of a chamber 21, in which is seated a piston 22, adapted tohave limited movement therein, the chamber 21 being open to the conduitL, so-that the normal position of the piston is such that the fluid isfree to pass through the chamber, but when the pressure is reduced thepiston Serial No. 347,293. (No model.)

22 is pressed by thespring or springs 24, operating on the stem 23, soas to close one of the openings to the conduit and allow the fluid topass througha small pipe 25 communicating with the conduit L and the topof the cylinder, and thence to the signal device 26. The conduit L isconnected by a pipe d with the engineers valve D, and thence to thetrain brake conduit B.

So far, the arrangement of parts is substantially the same as that in myformer patent, and one of the features of my present invention consistsin the construction and arrangement of the engineers valve D. This valveis shown as consisting of an exterior case I, provided with five ports1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and an interior valve stem J, which is hollow and isconnected at the bottom with a portion of the train pipe B, between thevalve and the cars, and has also a single side port 0, which is adaptedto be broughtin juxtaposition to any one of the five ports in thecasing. The port 1 communicates bya pipe N with the signal cylinder N;the port 2 is an open port; the port 3 connects by pipe at with theconduit L, as before described; the port 4 is controlled by the exhaustvalve 20, which is held to duty by a spring 8 that is of sufficienttension to permit the valve to open and to allow the fluid to exhaustfrom the main reservoir pressure, but will prevent its exhausting belowthe normal pressure of the automatic system, and the port 5 is connecteddirectly with the train brake conduit and the main reservoir.

The valve K embodies another feature of my invention, and it consistsessentially of a case 9, having a piston 10, supported on a valve stem11, moving in extensions 12 and 13 of the case. Between the piston andthe top of the case are two or more springs 14:, which are so adjustedthat under the normal pressure of the automatic system the piston willstand at a point marked 70, while under the pressure of the air from themain cylinder the springs Will be compressed and the piston will standat a point marked 100, while when the air is exhausted the piston willstand at a point marked zero. This valve casing communicates with thetrain conduit by a pipe 0, and the lower extension 13 communicates withthe auxiliary reservoir by a pipe E, while both the upper and lowerextensions communicate with the brake cylinder F by the pipes F, F Inthe upper extension is an opening 15 to the air, and the valve stem isprovided with a valve opening 16, corresponding to this opening and thepipe I when in its normal position. The stem is also provided with avalve opening 17, communicating with the interior of the main body ofthe case, and shown in the present instance as extending below theconnection with the pipe E to the lower extension 13 of the case. It isalso provided with two openings 18, 19, which correspond with theconnection of the pipe F from the brake cylinder to the extension E atdifferent positions.

The conductor signal device 11 is connected to the main train conduit Bby a pipe H, and is provided with a valve it, normally closing theopening it. This valve is opened by a trip device operated in anysuitable manner, as by the rope R, connected to one of two levers T, T,mounted in suitable standards and controlled by suitable springs S, S.hen the rope is pulled the lever T bears upon the toe of the lever T andforces the valve h away from its seat, allowing the signal to besounded, but a further movement of the lever T causes the toes of thelevers to separate, when the springs return them to their normalpositions. In this way the valve is opened only for a moment, giving asharp, quick signal, and preventing waste of air or the reduction ofpressure greater than is necessary to operate with the engineers orother signal device N.

It will be understood that, while I have thus described the specificconstruction and arrangement of parts suflicient to understand myinvention, 1 do not limit myself to the precise construction andarrangement shown, as these may be changed without departing from thespirit of my invention, and I have not deemed it necessary to set forthall the equivalent constructions and arrangements, which will beunderstood by those skilled in the art. With such a construction andarrangement of parts, the operation will now be described. We willsuppose that the main reservoir A carries a normal pressure of from onehundred to one hundred and thirty pounds, and this is regulated by thegovernor or reducing valve M, so that the automatic pressure willnormally be, say from seventy to eighty pounds. Under these conditionsthe piston 22 of the signal device will remain in the position shown inthe drawing and the piston 10 of the car valve will be in the normalposition shown in the drawing at the point 70, and there will be no airpressure on the brake cylinder, it being open through the ports 15, 16,to the air. The normal po sition of the engineers valve will be as shownin the drawing, the valve 0 communicating, by the valve 1 with thesignal cylinder and thence with the train conduit B, and the valve stem11 is open, so that the auxiliary reservoir E will be in freecommunication through the port 17 with the chamber of the car valve, andby pipe 0 to the train conduit B. The

signal device is so adjusted that a drop or reduction of pressure of,say five to seven pounds will allow the piston 22 to move downward,closing the passage N and opening the passage 25 to the signal 26. Thecar valve piston 10, we will assume, is so adjusted as to drop to itslowermost position at the zero point 011 the cylinder on the reductionof fifteen to twenty-five pounds. It will be understood, of course, thatthese are not absolute adjustments, but are only given as illustrativeof the relative adjustments of the parts. If new the engineer desires toset the automatic brake, he turns the valve stem J in the valve I, sothat the port 0 is opposite the open port 2, and the result is that thepressure in the train conduit is reduced so that the piston of the valveK drops to its zero point and opens the passage from the auxiliaryreservoir through the ports 17 and 18 to the brake cylinder, and at thesame time closes the exhaust ports 15, 16, from the brake cylinder, andthe automatic brake is applied in the usual way, it being understood ofcourse that this operation can be controlled by the engineer so as toapply the brakes gradually or quickly, as desired. If the automaticbrake is not sufficient to stop the train, the engineer turns the valvestem .1, so as to cause the port 0 to communicate with the port 5,leading by the main conduit 13 to the main reservoir A, and this causesthe piston 10 of the car,

valve to rise to its highest point, 100, and opens communicationdirectly from the pipe 0, through the ports 17 and 19 to the brakecylinder, and through the port 17 to the auxiliary reservoir E, at thesame time closing the exhaust ports 15, 16, of the brake cylinder, andthe full force of the main reservoir is applied directly to the brakecylinder, and at the same time charges the auxiliary cylinder. In orderto release the brakes when set under this direct pressure, the port 0 isplaced opposite the port 4, when the exhaust valve 20 allows'theexcessive pressure to escape from the train conduit until the pressureis reduced to the normal automatic degree, and by bringing the porto incommunication with the port 3, the automatic brake is released and thevalve put in its normal position without disturbing the signal device.It will be understood thatin the normal condition of the pipes amovement of the levers T, T will open the valves 71, h for a moment,allowing sul'iicient pressure reduction to cause the signal device tooperate without disturbing the car valves. From this arrangement it willbe seen that with a single main conduit I am enabled to combine thestraightair brake, the automatic brake, and the signal device, and tomake use of but asingle coupling between the cars, and the operation ofeither one of these devices does not in any way interfere with theoperation of the other.

What I claim is-- 1. The combination with a single main conduit andsingle brake cylinder, an auxiliary air reservoir, a single valveinterposed between the main conduit, the reservoir and the brakecylinder, of a main reservoir, reducing valve, an engineers valve havingfive ports, where'by, with the single conduit, the brake may be used asan automatic air brake or a straight air brake, substantially in themanner set forth.

2. The combination with the single main conduit passing through thetrain, the single car brake device, an auxiliary reservoir and a singlecar valve interposed between the main conduit, the reservoir and thebrake cylinder, of a main reservoir, and reducing valve, an engineersvalve having five ports, and an air signal device connected to the mainreservoir, whereby, with the single conduit, the signal device may beoperated, and the brake may be used as an automatic air brake or astraight air brake, substantially in the manner set forth.

3. The combination with a single main conduit passing through the train,of the brake cylinder, the auxiliary reservoir, the single car valveinterposed between the main conduit, auxiliary reservoir and brakecylinder, a signal device connected to the main conduit, of an engineersvalve having five ports and a main reservoir and signal mounted on thelocomotive and connected to the engineers valve, substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination with the main reservoir and signal, and an engineersvalve having five ports, of a single main conduit passing through thetrain, a brake cylinder and auxiliary reservoir on the car, a car valveinterposed between the single main conduit, auxiliary reservoir andbrake device, and a trip signal device also connected to the mainconduit, substantially as described.

5. In a brake and signal apparatus, the combination with the brakesystem and signal device, of a trip valve for operating the signaldevice, consisting of a cylinder and piston therein controlling theoutlet or relief valve, and the trip levers connected to operate thepiston to open the relief valve momentarily, substantially as described.

6. The combination with the single main conduit, of an auxiliaryreservoir and brake cylinder and a single valve device having a singlepiston interposed between the main conduit and the reservoir andcylinder, the said valve being arranged and constructed substantially asdescribed to assume three positions, to normally furnish a passage fromthe conduit to the auxiliary reservoir and exit from the brake cylinder,to furnish a passage from the reservoir to the brake cylinder, the exitto the brake cylinder being closed, and to furnish a passage from theconduit to both the brake cylinder and reservoir, the passage from thebrake cylinder being closed, substantially as described.

7. The combination with the auxiliary reservoir, brake cylinder and asingle main conduit, a valve having a single piston, a spring actuatingthe piston, a valve stem connected therewith, the said piston beingprovided with valve ports, substantially as described, whereby it iscapable of assuming three positions and varying pressures andcontrolling the passage of fluid to and from the auxiliary reservoir andbrake cylinder, substantially as described.

8. The combination with the auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder andmain conduit, of a valve chamber connected to the same, a springactuated single piston having a valve stem and provided with the ports16, 17, 18, 19, arranged substantially as described to control the flowof the fluid to and from the auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder,substantially as described.

9. The combination with the main reservoir and main conduit leadingtherefrom, of a signal device and reducing device interposed between themain reservoir and signal device, a .valve device interposed between thesignal device and main conduit, an auxiliary cylinder, a brake cylinderand a valve device controlling the passage to and from the brakecylinder, and a signal operating valve, the arrangement being such thatthe automatic brake, the direct air brake, or the signal device may beoperated independently of each other, substantially as described.

10. The combination with the main reservoir and main conduit leadingtherefrom, of a five-way valve device interposed in the conduit, asignal device interposed between the valve and the main reservoir, areducing valve included in the conduit between the reservoir and signaldevice, an auxiliary reservoir and brake cylinder connected to the mainconduit, and a valve device having three positions, interposed betweenthe reservoir and conduit, and a signal operating valve connected to themain cylinder, substantially as described.

11. In a combined automatic straight air brake device and signaldevices, the combination with the main reservoir and single mainconduit, of a reducing device and signal device connected therewith, avalve device connected on both sides of the signal device and havingexhaust port, relief ports and straight air ports, an auxiliaryreservoir and brake cylinder and valve device interposed between thesame and the main conduit, the valve device being arranged to assumethree positions under variations of pressure with corresponding valveports, and a trip relief valve for operating the signal, substantiallyas described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH B. STEWART.

Witnesses:

F. B. MERRIHEW, O. W. CONKLIN.

IIO

